INTERVIEWS

Your perfect cover letter and résumé have landed you the job interview. Now, it is time to shine! Career opportunities are won or lost during the interview process. An interview is your chance to rise above the competition and earn that career opportunity you have been working towards. Once the interview is complete, each candidate will be remembered by those words and actions that made him/her stand out from the others competing for that dream job. Enjoy the interview experience and make the conversation count!

Master the Interview

The career hunt can be daunting and somewhat overwhelming at times. Thus far, you have potentially spent hours on searching for a potential career, the perfect organization and countless hours diligently navigating through the application process submitting all organizational requirements. Stay positive because you have just landed the interview.

Common Interview Questions

You are ready to show your skills, qualities, personality and accomplishments but may possibly be concerned with what questions will come up in the interview process. See 10 common questions asked in the interview process.

Tell me about yourself.

What do you know about this organization?

What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness?

Why should we hire you?

Why are you leaving your current job?

Why do you want this job?

How do you handle stress and pressure?

Describe a work situation where you had to deal with a difficult colleague?

Dress For Success

You may have heard somewhere in life that first impressions are lasting impressions. The interview is your time to shine and it doesn't happen by simply saying the right thing. It is just as important to dress the part.

Prepare:Do not wait until the day of the interview to prepare your business wardrobe! There are certainly more pressing thoughts racing through your mind with the interview coming in a few short hours. Prepare the night before and pick out the perfect outfit so that you are ready to physically impress in that initial introduction.

Wrinkle Free Is The Way To Be: The way you dress speaks volumes to the way you live your life. A wrinkled shirt or pair of pants can give off the impression that you don't care whereas a wrinkle free outfit has the potential to show you are crisp, sharp and professional.

Keep It Simple Smart: You want to make a lasting impression however you also want to make the right lasting impression. Stick to neutral colors in an outfit that your potential future boss would approve.

Comfortable and Confident: You want to show up ready to 'wow' as a professional who is comfortable and confident. The outfit colors should work well together and the overall dress should fit the position that you are applying for.

Be You; Be A Professional: You have enough going through your head as you prepare for the interview and this potential career opportunity. Do not overthink your dress and leave your personality at home. Be you while still being professional.

STAR Response

You are most likely to endure behavioral based questions throughout the interview process for your future career yet many are unaware of what a behavioral based questions actually sounds like. These questions often start with "Tell me about an experience" or "Share with me an example when". The best way to field this question and make an impacting response is through the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) response. So, what does S.T.A.R. mean?

Situation: Think of a previous work situation that resulted in a positive outcome.

Task: Share the tasks and goals that you were attempting to accomplish.

Action: Be very specific and include details that include the skills as well as the steps taken to achieve results.

Results: Share how your actions positively impacted the overall results. What was accomplished once the project was complete?

Click here for an example of a S.T.A.R. response along with simple tips in preparation for the interview.

Follow Up & Thank You Notes

The follow-up to the interview is just as important as the interview itself. A follow up thank you email should be sent to those that interviewed you within 24-48 hours after the interview takes place. If you do not email, make sure to follow up with a hand written thank you note that is sent out immediately. A handwritten note is more formal and sincere. In fact, the handwritten thank you is often an exercise that will prove your willingness as a potential future employee to go above and beyond while also leaving a lasting impression.

Do not forget these key items in your Thank You:

Provide an individualized thank you for all committee members that participated in the interview process.

Be sincere in your follow up for the opportunity and the interviewer's time.

Build off your interview and expand on the specific position of interest.

Remind the reader of your top qualities you have and how they are relevant to the position and organization you are applying too.

Insert any key skills that you may have forgotten to mention in your face to face time that may spring board you above other candidates.

Include forward thinking statements.

"I look forward to meeting with you and your team again in the near future about this incredible opportunity within this elite organization.

Negotiation Quick Hits

You have made your impact throughout the interview process and the job has been offered to you. Now, do you negotiate or do you accept your next career opportunity? See these quick hits below for a few suggestions.

Do not negotiate simply just to negotiate: Your wage, work hours, benefits and more have most likely been discussed at this point in the process. You may be great at negotiating but remember that every conversation that ensues after the offer potentially impacts your career path moving forward.

Get excited about your new opportunity and show it: Show your excitement verbally and physically about this new opportunity if you proceed forward in negotiation talks. Remember, your new employer is listening and watching.

Confidence: If you decide to negotiate, be confident in what you are asking for. The organization is excited to have you otherwise they wouldn't have put the offer out so now discuss what additional items you are seeking. Be aware that you better be able to back up why you are deserving of your request.

Be Realistic: Your negotiations should align with the job, your skills, and the level of experience you bring to the position.

Big Interview

Big Interview is an online system that combines training and practice to help improve your interview technique and build your confidence.

Tools include:

Challenging, virtual mock interviews for all experience levels and dozens of industries, including graduate school

A database of thousands of interview questions with tips on how to answer them

A comprehensive video training curriculum covering all aspects of interviewing for a job or internship